DERET.

German spelling test

DERET: German spelling test

New testing procedures designed to properly assess primary school children’s knowledge of German spelling need to reflect curriculum requirements (e.g. those of Germany’s sixteen federal states), include words drawn solely from the basic vocabulary (including word lists from the main spelling text books) and be be capable of diagnosing reading and spelling difficulties.

All these points were factored into the design of DERET 1-2, thus creating an innovative testing procedure that provides an empirical assessment of the spelling abilities of primary school children. DERET is a combination of dictated texts and a gap text. The testing methods can be performed with groups or individuals. The number of errors is calculated by simply counting up the fields. By identifying the frequency of errors in different categories, it is also possible to draw up an error profile that can draw attention to potential problem areas.